Helsinki, Dec, 7.
"What a glorious day," said t the people of Helsinki this morn ing when they saw a thick blanket of fog covering the ground and it was almost impossible to see the tops of trees. A heavy thaw kas set in and there is drizzling rai Aerial bombardments are out of the question while this weather lasts, The latest news: from the front docs not indicate any violent fighting for the moment, The Russians are reported to have reached outposts of the Mannerheim Line at one or {wo points, and the next few days are expected to provide " real test of the efficiency of the Finnish] defence system. The military authorities here categorically deny the Soviet claim that their troops have broken the Mannerheim Line across the Isthmus of Karelia.—Reuter.
Military activity on the vast front The, population renting unperturs the Arctic Ocean has been consid elbly. reduced in view of prevailing: weather conditions.
For several days snow has beet falling heavily in the northern and eastern regions while darkness pre-Valls In the Arctic regions almost Unroughout the day thus greatly hamering operations on land, in the sea) and in the Along the 700 to 800 kilometre front extending from the Ladoga Lake to the Arctic Ocean, Soviet troops often lose contact even among their own Units and are known to be enduring: nerve-wrecking hardships that desert land.
Due to prevailing weather, the ra way linking the Ladoga Lake region and the Gulf of Bothnia and which uns dangerously near to the Soviet border, has not been threatened so far.
On the other hand, Soviet scouting patrols are being constantly ambushed by the Finns and compelled to beat a nasty retreat, often suffering heavy losses, Meanwhile, naval activity along the const and in' the Gulf of Finland hi been practically reduced to nil and it generally. believed here that the chanees for the Soviets to effect suc~ cessful landings on the Finish coast Gre non-existent asthe Fi defenders have taken adequate precautions which, coupled with the frost and other climatic factors, should prevent any such attempt.
The Finnish capital was without newspaper this morning as printers Jand journalists celebrated the national holiday yesterday.
Wards defence preparations which are being relentlessly" pushed.—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.